PYC Assignments and Exams

PYC Assignments and Exams Semester 1: Assignment 01 - 2018 (Unique number: ) Question 1 Stress affects people in different ways and may lead to burnout. Which of the following is associated with burnout? 1) Burnout may develop when people are subjected to too much stress over a long period of time 2) Burnt-out people tend to feel emotionally drained and alienated from others 3) Feelings of inadequacy and having achieved nothing are common with burnout 4) All of the above Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: To answer this question correctly you need to understand the negative effects of stress. Option 1 is correct because burnout occurs when people are exposed to too much stress for a long period of time. Another effect of burnout is that people become emotionally drained, leading to the feelings of alienation from others (option 2). Moreover, burnt-out people tend to feel inadequate and having achieved nothing worthwhile in life (option 3). Since all the options are associated with burnout, option 4 is the correct answer to the question. What other effects do you think are associated with burnout? Question 2 There are physiological changes that take place when people experience stress. The . . . increases the degree of physical tension of the body, whereas the . . . decreases it. 1) sympathetic nervous system; parasympathetic nervous system 2) primary appraisal; secondary appraisal 3) parasympathetic stimulation; sympathetic stimulation 4) psychosomatic stimulation; psycho-physiological stimulation Answer: The correct answer is 1 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: This question is based on the functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Option 1 provides the correct answer as it explains the functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. In simple terms, the sympathetic nervous system activates the body for “fight or flight” in response to a threatening stimulus, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system helps the body to restore normal functioning. Option 3 is incorrect because it inversely attributes the functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Option 2 is also incorrect because primary and secondary appraisals are part of the contextual model of stress, and are not involved in the process of increasing and decreasing physiological tension. Option 4 is also incorrect because psycho-physiological stimulation refers to the physical and emotional tension experienced by an individual. Can you think of other physiological changes that are controlled by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system? Question 3 There are different models that explain the process of stress. To what does the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) of stress refer? 1) The appraisal of our ability to cope in a stressful situation 2) The way the human body reacts to stressful situations 3) The contextualisation of the stress process 4) All of the above Answer: The correct answer is 2 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: In order to answer this question correctly, you need to understand how the different models explain the process of stress. Option 1 is incorrect because appraisals (primary and secondary appraisals) are the two phases in the contextual model of stress that describe the manner in which people evaluate the stress experience. Option 3 is also incorrect because the contextual model of stress (not the GAS) emphasizes that the perception of stress depends on the context in which it occurs. Option 2 is the correct answer because it refers to the GAS model that describes the general way in which people react to stressful situations. Since option 2 is the correct answer, this automatically renders option 4 incorrect. Can you name the three phases of the GAS model of stress? Question 4 The economic recession has led to many people losing their jobs across the globe and has created uncertainty around job security. Thami is relocating to a distant branch so that he can keep his job and he does not want to leave his family behind. What kind of stressor is Thami experiencing? 1) A micro stressor 2) A community stressor 3) A universal stressor 4) A personal stressor Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: This question requires you to know the different types of stressors. Community stressor (option 2) is incorrect because it affects certain people who belong to a particular community. For example, hate crimes perpetuated against a particular community in a society. Micro stressor (option 1) is incorrect because it affects an individual almost on a daily basis. For example, being late for work due to traffic conditions can be stressful for some people. A universal stressor (option 3) is also incorrect because it affects many people around the world, such as the economic recession. Option 4 is the correct answer because a personal stressor is specific to a particular individual. In this case, Thami is stressed by the possibility of having to move away from his family and work in another area. Can you think of any situation that you regard as a personal stressor? Question 5 To what does the Yerkes-Dodson law refer? 1) Burnout arises from prolonged exposure to stress 2) As arousal increases, so does the performance up to a certain level 3) The amount of time it takes to learn a task increases over time 4) Attention is associated with decreased levels of performance Answer: The correct answer is 2 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: The Yerkes-Dodson law explains the relationship between performance and arousal. This law simply states that as arousal increases, so does performance up to a certain point. Option 2 is the correct answer. Option 1 is incorrect because it is a general statement about burnout and prolonged exposure to stressful conditions. Options 3 and 4 are also incorrect because they do not relate to Yerkes-Dodson law in any way. Can you think of a time when your performance in any task was affected by your state of arousal? Question 6 Two employees that perform the same job may experience work stress differently. What factor(s) account for the difference(s) in the experience of work stress? 1) People use different coping strategies to deal with stress at work 2) One person may view work stress as a personal event, whereas the other person may see it as a micro event 3) Personality plays a role in whether or not work stress is perceived as threatening or challenging 4) All of the above Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: This question requires you to understand the personal factors involved in the experience of stress. It is true that an individual’s personality plays a role in whether or not one sees an event as threatening or challenging (option 3). It is also true that what one person sees as a personal event, another person may see it as a micro event (option 2). Also, it is true that people use different coping strategies, which in turn, influence how a particular event is experienced by an individual (option 1). Since all the options are correct, option 4 therefore provides the correct answer. Question 7 During which phase of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) of stress process does a person become physically ill due to prolonged exposure to the stressor? 1) The alarm and mobilization phase 2) The resistance phase 3) The exhaustion phase 4) All of the above Answer: The correct answer is 3 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: According to the GAS model of stress, it is during the exhaustion phase (option 3) that the physical symptoms of illness begin to show. During the alarm and mobilization phase (option 1), people become aware of the presence of a stressor. We experience shock and our ability to cope with the stressor drops below the normal level of coping. The body then counters the effects of being alarmed and produces hormones that help to mobilize against the stressor. Our ability to cope then increases to the level that exceeds our normal level of coping. During the resistance phase (option 2), our coping levels still remain high and if the stressor is dealt with successfully, it disappears. Option 4 is incorrect by virtue of option 3 being the correct answer. Do you know what each phase of the GAS entails? Question 8 Motivated behaviour can be defined as ___. 1) a state of tension brought on by biological needs 2) an action that is chosen deliberately and with a clear purpose 3) a specific inborn behavioural pattern 4) making random decisions Answer: The correct answer is 2 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: When an individual chooses a particular action deliberately they are displaying motivated behaviour. Motivated behaviour involves actions taken based on certain reasons; therefore option 2 is the correct answer. Option 1 is incorrect because biological needs are the drives that generally help to restore the body homeostasis. Inborn behavioural patterns (option 3) are instincts that generally help an organism to survive. For instance, the “fight or flight system” (fear system) is activated when our lives are threatened. This option is also incorrect. Option 4 is also incorrect because motivated behaviour does not involve making random decisions. Can you think of a situation whereby you engaged in motivated behaviour? Question 9 According to psychoanalytic approach to motivation, people that act without realising the reasons for their actions are usually motivated by ___ factors. 1) unconscious 2) extrinsic 3) cognitive 4) biological Answer: The correct answer is 1 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: Understanding the theories of motivation will help you answer this question correctly. Option 1 is correct because the psychoanalytic theory describes motivation mainly in terms of unconscious processes that people are unaware of. Option 2 is incorrect because extrinsic factors are the factors stemming from the environment that motivate behaviour. Option 3 is also incorrect because cognitive factors involve mental processes such as reasoning, thinking, and decision-making and people are quite aware of these processes when they are taking place. Option 4 is also incorrect because the biological factors involve innate behavioural instincts that motivate people to behave in a particular manner. Which factors do you think are more prevalent in determining human behavior? Question 10 Mrs Khumalo works very hard to be able to buy a house for her family. Her behaviour is motivated by ___. 1) a physiological need 2) the need for love and belongingness 3) the need for self-esteem 4) the need for a safe and secure environment Answer: The correct answer is 4 Refer: Tutorial Letter 201/1/2018 Reasoning: To answer this question confidently, you need to know the different levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory and what each level entails. The physiological need (option 1) is incorrect because it has to do with satisfying internal bodily needs such as hunger, sleep, and so on. The need for love and belongingness (option 2) is also incorrect because it is concerned with our desire to love and to be loved, and to contribute to the society in which we live. The need for self-esteem (option 3) has to do with our desire to develop a sense of self-worth. When Mrs Khumalo buys a house for the family, she satisfies the need for safety by providing a safe and secure environment for the family. Therefore, option 4 is the correct answer to the question. What level of need are you currently focusing on in your life?